PRAISE has been heaped on the new Mid-Lancs Cross-Country League course at Lane Farm, Crooklands, which was used for the first time earlier this month.

Mid-Lancs secretary Dawn Lock wrote to thank Kendal AAC for the club’s hard work in organising the event in which 600 athletes ran and also commented on how good the course was for spectators.

Kendal’s Steve Priestley devised and measured the course to Mid-Lancs specifications.

Kendal’s senior men fielded two teams, the most successful according to confirmed results being the Vet 50 team, which won by a huge margin.

Steve Varney led them home in 6th with Richard Witt 7th, Hugh Symonds 9th, Ken Dacre 14th and Guy Woolnough15th.

Overall Phil Whiting was first Kendal senior man in 73rd, with Steve Varney 88th, Paul Williamson 97th, Hugh Symonds 108th, John Quine 133 Ken Dacre 134 and Guy Woolnough 136th, Stuart McGurke 141st, Ian Swallow 154th, Mark Walker 163rd, Nigel Garnett 176th, Dave Whitehead 204th, Paul Percival Smith 218th and Andrew Spiby 226th.

Rebecca Robinson’s first cross-country event as a senior boosted the team when she finished third. Dianne Priestley was sixth and third V45, a new women’s category this year.

With a five-year year gap since her last race, due to the birth of her two children Helen Mathews-Whitehead made a welcome return in 31st, with Christine Handforth 34th Marion Smith 39th and sixth V45.

Carolyn Kevan was 50th in her first cross-country for the club as the women came third in Division One.

Junior Amy Symonds, also a newcomer to this event, was not at all fazed, finishing sixth, while Lauren Butler was 27th U13 girl with Zoe Edmondson 36th.

Danny Edmonson, though desperate to run, was forced to pull out when his recently fractured jaw proved just to painful.

Just 15 seconds separated the winner from sixth-placed Tom Doyle in the U11 boys race Border athlete Nick Bradley, now living in Kendal was third U17 boy.